The real story behind the U.S. withdrawal is how a clever strategy of
deception and diplomacy adopted by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in
cooperation with Iran outmaneuvered Bush and the U.S. military
leadership and got the United States to sign the U.S.-Iraq withdrawal
agreement.

A central element of the Maliki-Iran strategy was the common interest
that Maliki, Iran and anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr shared in
ending the U.S. occupation, despite their differences over other
issues.

Maliki needed Sadr’s support, which was initially based on Maliki’s
commitment to obtain a time schedule for U.S. troops’ withdrawal from
Iraq.